Search - Giovanni Pacini, Maurizio Benini, Francesca Pedaci :: Pacini - Saffo / Pedaci, Pencheva, Bertagnolli, Ventre, A. Hall, De Candia, Baronchelli, Benini [Wexford Festival Live]

Interesting and satisfying

John Cragg | Delta(greater Vancouver), B.C Canada | 09/15/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Pacini's Saffo is, despite its neglect, an artistic masterpiece well worth reviving for its own interest and for its place in the development of opera. While a master of the bel canto style, Pacini concentrates more on lovely singing than on vocal pyrotechnics. Fine legato and phrasing are required and are rewarded by producing a highly satisfactory experience.This recording from the Wexford Festival serves the opera well. The principals, though not outstanding, do serve the piece adequately. The women seem to me to have more difficulty than the men do, especially in the range required and with the extent of low notes that seem to produce difficulty. Saffo sounds more like a mezzo than a soprano role and while Francesca Padaci sings some wonderful passages in the title role, her voice doesn't quite fit the needs of the part. By contrast, I greatly enjoyed the tenor, Carlo Ventre, singing the part of Saffo's fickle lover. Roberto de Candia singing the baritone role of Alcandro, Saffo's unknown father (The plot, in a fairly strong libretto, is not more plausible than most such classical efforts.) also produces a strong and enjoyable performance. Though "fit" of the voice to the role is also a problem with the other female principal, Marina Pentchava, as Climene (Saffo's sister who steals her lover,) she nevertheless produces some lovely singing.The Wexford Festival Chorus turns in a worthwhile performance, though I confess that I could not make out any of the words sung by the female half of the chorus. The National Symphony of Ireland, under Maurizio Benini, performs adequately, with the wind sections (which play a prominent part in the proceedings) being particularly noteworthy. The sound is good, though a bit on the cold and distant side, and the audience for the performance are rendered marginal. Finally, the booklet is a model of its kind. One might wish for a major company to record the opera with some outstanding singers, to see how much more exciting such treatment would render this work. Failing that, the present production makes a very satisfactory addition to one's collection if one is interested in widening the scope of one's enjoyment of mid- 19th century opera."

Pacini who?

John Cragg | 02/17/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Imagine: no TV; no radio; no cars. This is the Italy of the 1840's. Every community of any size had an opera house and this was their entertainment. It is hard to imagine why this opera did not make it as it is, by any definition, a true masterpiece. It is hard to believe that those opera houses just didn't hear this great work. If they had, surely the bravos, would have flodded the house dozens and dozens of times, and after virtually evert aria, duet, and choral piece of the opera. Absolutely overwhelming !It is equal to early, if not middle, Verdi, and certainly serves as a link from Rossini and Bellini to Verdi. Not is this purely beautiful singing, there are tunes after tunes, Broadway play style! Hats off and deep, deep thanks to Opera Rara for a great recording of a great, great opera and for just an outstanding booklet and package! Folks, this is one that you just can't pass up. A shame that it is not in the standard repetoir. This is one in a thousand and don't die until you hear it and have your own copy to enjoy many, many times."